Fully self-contained beachfront bach accommodation at Tora on the spectacular South Wairarapa Coast. Stylish, new, all mod cons, but in the tradition of the good ol' kiwi bach!

Te Mahau Mahana - "the warm, cosy shelter" - was named by Rangitane O Wairarapa at my request. As a child and teenager I spent a lot of time camping out here, along this coastline at Glendhu and Pahaoa, not far from our farm at Hinakura. My father would pack five kids into the old jeep with a persian rug to sleep on, an awning for a roof, a billy, and some cray pots. We ate what we caught and drank what we fetched.

These days we don't need to ford creeks or dig the jeep out of axle-deep mud to get here - and the sleeping quarters have improved somewhat too - but the Te Awaiti coast has hardly changed and it is still one of the wonders of the Wairarapa with unpopulated sand, thundering surf, rugged beauty - and fresh food for the taking.

I'd be delighted if you were to share my 'warm cosy shelter' and experience a little of that great kiwi tradition, the bach by the sea.